Sage Steele is leaving ESPN after 16 years so that she may express her opinions more freely.
‘Life update,’ Steele’s post on X, formerly Twitter, began. ‘Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely. I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!’
Steele sued the network in April of 2022 after claiming that ESPN violated her First Amendment rights and Connecticut free-speech laws by suspending her over comments about former President Barack Obama and the COVID-19 vaccine.
The ban was handed down in October of 2021 following Steele’s interview on Jay Cutler’s podcast, in which she dismissed COVID-19 vaccine mandates, criticized women who dress provocatively, and took issue with Obama’s claims that he’s African American.
Terms of the settlement have not been revealed, and ESPN spokespeople did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’suest for further information. Front Office Sports previously reported that Steele was offered $501,000 by the network to drop her lawsuit.
While being interviewed on former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler’s podcast, ESPN’s Sage Steele made several controversial statements that she says resulted in her being suspended by the network.
Steele on ESPN’s COVID-19 mandate: ‘Well, I got my shot today… I just — I didn’t want to do it. But I work for a company that mandates it, and I have until September 30 to get it done, or I’m out… I respect everyone’s decision. I really do. But to mandate it is sick. It’s one thing with masks, and I don’t have a problem with that. It’s another thing when you force this.’
Steele, who is mixed race, on Barack Obama identifying as African American: ‘I think that’s fascinating considering his black dad was nowhere to be found but his white mom and grandma raised him. But hey, you do you, I’m going to do me.’
Steele on sexism suffered by female employees who dress provocatively: ‘When you dress like that, I’m not saying you deserve the gross comments, but you know what you’re doing when you put that outfit on, too. We need to be responsible as women, too. We know what we’re doing when we put certain things on.’
